Traction apparatus



Dec. 17, 1963 v. J. MAYCHARK 3,114,366 TRACTION APPARATUS Filed Jan. 2, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. F/ 6. 2 VAAEA/rm EJ "Arc/MM,

ATTOAIVIXS Dec. 17, 1963 v. J. MAYCHARK 3,114,366

TRACTION APPARATUS Filed Jan. 2, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY MW Dec. 17, 1963 v. J- MAYCHARK TRACTION APPARATUS '5 Sheets-Sheet :5

Filed Jan. 2, 1962 INVENTOR.

VALf/Vf/Mff MAYf/YA/F/ BY W States Patent Ofifice ldl lfiiiti Patented Eec. 17, 1963 Valentine This invention relates to traction apparatus for use in applying traction to the human body.

it is customary in treating patients having bone fractures, bone dislocations, muscular contraction and certain other disorders, to apply traction for placing the broken or dislocated bones in proper relation and for relieving the muscular contraction thereon. Such traction is applied by apparatus attaohed to the body and which has means such as a weight for effecting *a longitudinal or straight line pull on the affected part of the body. The longitudinal or straight line pull produced by the apparatus should be constant. This frequently necessitates that the patient remain practically immovable over long periods 6r time so as not to vary the tension or the angularity of the pull on the body.

in order to overcome the objections and disadvantages 'acident to the apparatus commonly used for applying traction to the human body, the present invention pro vides a traction apparatus wlu'ch maintains a substantially long tudinal or straight line pull at all times and which permits of the movement patient while under traction without affecting the tension or the directional pull.

Another object of the invention is to provide a traction apparatus having means mounted for sliding movement laterally of the bed for maintaining the traction cord in alignment with the body of t e patient.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparabus of said ohauacter having a frame adapted to be removably arllxed to a bed and with means for adjustably supporting a rod on which a pulley block is slidabiy mounted and wbich block is formed with a restricted opening through which the traction cord is trained for efiecting sliding movement of the block with the movement of the patient.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a traction apparatus which may be readily applied to either end of a hospital bed and the like or removed therefrom as desired.

With the laforegoing and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following specification and the following drawings in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.

In the drawings:

PEG. 1 is a side view of one end of a bed provided with a inaction apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention and with the tnaotion cord afiixed to a head halter shown in applied position on a patient.

FIG. 2- is a view in elevation of the traction apparatus and a fragmentary portion of the bed.

FIG. 3 is sectional view taken approximately on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to *FIG. 1 showing the bed equipped with a traction apparatus embodying a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a view in elevation of one end of the bed with the traction apparatus shown in position thereon.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on line 6-6 of PEG. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the traction apparatus is illustrated in in application to a bed such as a hospital bed but it is to be understood that the same may be applied to any table, or supporting structure for applying tension to a human being arranged in supported relation thereon. The reaction apparatus may also be applied to either the head or the foot end of the bed, table or other supporting structure. As illustrated in FIG. 1 of the dnawings, the traction apparatus is applied to the head end B of a bed structure B and includes a frame structure 12 adapted to be readily aflixed to the head end of the bed or removed therefrom when not required. Supported by the frame structure 12 is means for providing a tension or pull substantially in alignment with the length of the part of the human body requiring traction and in angular relation with the horizontal whereby the tension or pull is outwardly and slightly upwardly so as to permit of use thereof with the mattress elevated or with a pillow to elevate the patients head.

The means for producing traction or a stnaight line pull longitudinally of the body to be placed under tension, includes a pulley block 13 having openings in the opposite walls thereof through which extends a hub 14 having a central bore 15. The hub 14 is mounted for rotation in the block 13 and affixed thereto within the block is a grooved pulley 16 around which is trained a tract-ion cord 17 adapted to be affixed to a patient in any desired man not, such as by a head hmter l8 and with a weight 19 depending firorn the lower free end thereof. The pulley block 13 is mounted on a transversely extending cross shaft 2b which freely extends through the bore 15 for longitudinal sliding movement thereon. The cross shaft 29 is mounted adjacent its ends in blocks 21 adjustably afiixed to fuanie members 22 of the frame structure 12. The blocks 21 are adapted to be attached at various elevations to the frame members 2-2 for adiusiing the elevation of the pulley block 13 and for this purpose the blocks ll are provided with bolts 23 or equivalent fastening means adapted to engage in any one of the longitudinally spaced openings 25 the frame members 22. The frame membeus 22 are adapted to be roleasably affixed to the corner posts of the be'd structure B in any desired manner such as by U shaped stnap-s 23 extending about the posts and with the ends of the straps threa ed and engaging through a bar 29 with nuts threadedly engaged on the threaded ends of the straps for tightening the frame members 22 against the posts respectively. The upper ends of the frame members are angulated in offset relation from the head and E of the bed structure so as to allow for the tree swinging of the weight '1? at the lower end of the traction cord.

The pulley block 13 includes side walls 39 and 31 having bolts 32 or other means extending theremrough and through spacer elements 33 disposed. between the side walls for securing said walls in spaced relation for the free rotation of the grooved pulley l6 therebetween. The hub 14 freely extends through openings 34 in the side walls for free turning movement of the hub with reference to the block. The block also includes a forwardly disposed triangular shaped portion 35 having an opening 36 in the forward end thereof between said side walls which opening is disposed in axial alignment with the grooved portion oi the grooved pulley 16 at the top thereof. The opening 36 is of a size to slidably receive the traction cord 17 which protrudes there-through toward the attachment of the cord to the halter 18. The weight 19 carried by the opposite end of the cord is adapted to be varied for varying the tension or pull thereon and this may be accomplished by providing additional weights as desired.

In use the block 13 is adjusted on the cross shaft 2.0 to dispose the same in substantially longitudinal alignment with the portion of the body requiring traction and to which the traction cord 17 is afilxed and the desired weight 19 is applied to the cord. The cord slidably fits the opening in the block 13 so as to prevent undue friction therewith while at the same time the cord fits the opening so that any sidewise pull on the cord due to movement of the patient or the part to which the cord is attached, the block 13 will slide on the cross shaft 2% to maintain the 3 cord in substantially longitudinal alignment with the part reap ing traction.

in the form of the invention illustrated in FEGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings, the same is shown in its application to a bed structure having a high head or foot end which frequently have vertical bars preventing the free movement of the traction cord from one post to the other. In this form of the invention, a pulley block 40 having a grooved pulley 41 similar to the arrangement of the pulley block 13 and grooved pulley 16, in the previous form of the invention, is mounted for sliding movement on a cross shaft 42. The cross shaft 42 is mounted at its ends in blocks 43 affixed in any desired manner to angulated bars 44 which are releasably affixed in any desired manner to the inside faces of the corner posts P of the bed structure B such as by straps 45. The block 49 is arranged inwardly of the end E of the bed structure so that the traction cord 45 trained about the grooved pulley 41 presents a substantially longitudinal or straight line pull in alignment with the length of the part of a human body requiring traction.

Arranged above the end E of the bed structure is a pulley block 47 having a grooved wheel 48 ailixed to a hub 49 and mounted for rotation in the block. The hub 49 is slidably mounted on a cross shaft 5t) which slidably extends through the bore of the hub and with the ends of the shaft 59 mounted in blocks 51 aflixed in any desired manner to upright bars 52. The bars 52 are secured against the rear faces of the corner post P in any desired manner as by straps 53 to project thereabove so as to position the block 47 in spaced relation above and the end E of the bed structure and to freely receive the traction cord 46 trained about the grooved pulley 48 with the lower end of the traction cord depending therefrom and provided with a weight 54 at the lower end thereof.

The pulley blocs; 46 is similar in construction to the pulley block 21 and includes an opening 55 through which the traction cord 46 is freely slidable. The pulley block 4'7 includes opposite side walls 56 and 57 with bolts 58 extending therethrouga and through spacer elements 59 for securing said walls in spaced relation for the free rotation of the grooved pulley 48 therebetween. The said block is provided with a vertical opening 60 which is disposed in alignment with the grooved pulley 48 on one side thereof and through which opening is trained the traction cord 46 toward the grooved pulley 41 of the block 40. The arrangement of the traction cord 46 slidably fitting the openings 55 and 69 in the traction block 40 and block 47 respectively effects sliding movement of the pulley blocks laterally of the bed structure B on the cross shafts 42 and 50 respectively with the movement of the patient from side to side of the bed structure.

The shafts 42 and 58 are adapted to be disposed in adjusted elevation with reference to the bed structure B by securing the straps 45 and 53 in various adjusted positions in the corner post P. The shaft 42 is slidable in the blocks 43 and the shaft 50 is slidable in the blocks 51 to dispose the blocks in variously spaced relation for accommodating different widths of bed structures.

While the preferred forms of the invention are shown and described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not so limited but shall cover and include any and all modifications which fall within the purview of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a traction device for applying traction to the human body, a frame structure adapted to be releasably affixed to the human body, a frame structure adapted to be releasably aiiixed to one end of a bed frame and including oppositely disposed upwardly extending frame members, a cross shaft extending between said frame member, means releasably mounting said cross shaft at various elevations on said frame members, a pulley block having a hub slidably and rotatably mounted on said shaft and provided with a grooved pulley arranged for turning novemcnt within said block, a traction cord adapted to 03 connected to a part of a human being and reeved over said pulley, a weight attached to the outer end of said traction cord for exerting a traction pull on the human being, and said block having a portion projecting forwardly from said pulley provided with an opening dis posed in alignment with the upper portion of said grooved pulley through which said traction cord is slidable for effecting sidewise movement of the block on said cross shaft with lateral movement of the human being on the bed frame to provide a substantially straight line pull longitudinally of the portion of the human being under traction.

2. In a traction device for applying traction to a human body, a frame structure adapted to be affixed to one end of a bed frame, upper and lower shafts mounted on said frame structure, pulley blocks having hubs slidably and rotatably mounted respectively on said shafts, said hubs having pulleys arranged for turning movement within said blocks respectively, a traction cord adapted to be connected to a part of a human being and extending successively over said pulleys with the outer end of the cord depending from the uppermost block, a weight attached to the depending end of said cord for exerting a traction pull on the human being, and said blocks having openings extending toward tne peripheries of said pulleys respectively through which said traction cord is slidable for effecting sidewise movement of the blocks on the shafts respectively with lateral movement of the human being on the bed to provide a substantially straight line pull from the lower block longitudinally of the portion of the human being under traction.

3, In a traction device for applying traction to a human body, a frame structure adapted to be aiiixed to one end of a bed frame to extend upwardly thereabove, upper and lower shafts, means for selectively mounting said shafts on said frame structure for disposing each of said shafts in various adjusted elevations thereon, pulley blocks having hubs slidably and rotatably mounted respectively on said shafts, said hubs having pulleys arranged for turning movement within said blocks respectively, a traction cord adapted to be connected to a part of a human being and extending successively over said pulleys with the outer end of the cord depending from the uppermost blocks, a Weight attached to the depending end of said cord for exerting a traction pull on the human being, and said blocks having openings extending toward the peripheries of said pulleys respectively through which said traction cord is slidable for effecting sidewise movement of the blocks on the shafts respectively with lateral movement of the human being on the bed to provide a substantially straight line pull from the lower block longitudinally of the portion of the human being under traction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 325,813 Briggs Sept. 8, 1885 1,566,641 Bell Dec. 22, 1925 2,706,632 Chandler Apr. 19, 1955 2,796,061 Miller June 18, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 184,108 Great Britain Aug. 10, 1922 709,934 Germany Aug. 30, 1941 812,718 Great Britain Apr. 29, 1959 

2. IN A TRACTION DEVICE FOR APPLYING TRACTION TO A HUMAN BODY, A FRAME STRUCTURE ADAPTED TO BE AFFIXED TO ONE END OF A BED FRAME, UPPER AND LOWER SHAFTS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME STRUCTURE, PULLEY BLOCKS HAVING HUBS SLIDABLY AND ROTATABLY MOUNTED RESPECTIVELY ON SAID SHAFTS, SAID HUBS HAVING PULLEYS ARRANGED FOR TURNING MOVEMENT WITHIN SAID BLOCKS RESPECTIVELY, A TRACTION CORD ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A PART OF A HUMAN BEING AND EXTENDING SUCCESSIVELY OVER SAID PULLEYS WITH THE OUTER END OF THE CORD DEPENDING FROM THE UPPERMOST BLOCK, A WEIGHT ATTACHED TO THE DEPENDING END OF SAID CORD FOR EXERTING A TRACTION PULL ON THE HUMAN BEING, AND SAID BLOCKS HAVING OPENINGS EXTENDING TOWARD THE PERIPHERIES OF SAID PULLEYS RESPECTIVELY THROUGH WHICH SAID TRACTION CORD IS SLIDABLE FOR EFFECTING SIDEWISE MOVEMENT OF THE BLOCKS ON THE SHAFTS RESPECTIVELY WITH LATERAL MOVEMENT OF THE HUMAN BEING ON THE BED TO PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT LINE PULL FROM THE LOWER BLOCK LONGITUDINALLY OF THE PORTION OF THE HUMAN BEING UNDER TRACTION. 